A top-notch Q Guild butcher has sizzled its way to supreme championship glory at the prestigious Smithfield Awards – for the second time in three years.
[gallery type="slideshow" ids="https://d34wkqkcvmkqx1.cloudfront.net/CMS/s3/ymg-library/web/images/2014/11/Corrys-supreme-champions.jpg|Jan and Neil Corry accept their Supreme Champion trophy from Matthew Fort (left).,https://d34wkqkcvmkqx1.cloudfront.net/CMS/s3/ymg-library/web/images/2014/11/Award-winners.jpg|2015 Q Guild Smithfield Award winners at Butchers' Hall with food critic Matthew Fort."]
Corry’s Butchers in Bramhall, Greater Manchester, soared to success with its ‘Pork Pie with a Twist’, which first won a gold award, followed by a diamond award after being chosen as the best kitchen-ready product in the entire competition.
Awards were announced and presented at the Butchers' Hall in London, ancestral home of the Q Guild, by Matthew Fort, food and drink editor at The Guardian for over a decade, author of several award-winning books on food, and expert judge on the popular TV series, The Great British Menu.
This year’s championship-winning product, Pork Pie with a Twist, was developed by Jan Corry almost by accident one night when she was struggling to find something to cook for dinner.
“It was a Monday night and I was at home and I needed something for an evening meal,” she explained. “I opened the fridge and there was a pork tenderloin and I thought that needed using up. I found a Pié d'Angloys cheese from Christmas, and I thought it needed something else so I found a jar of red onion marmalade. I asked Neil to bring some pancetta home and that was it. I’m the inventor and Neil’s the taster – and he said ‘this is really good.’
Corry's Butchers sell no cooked products at all and Jan is a firm believer in using the best ingredients: "We have such great products and great meat in this country and I just wish more people would realise what there truly is available to them and use it for the benefit of the entire chain."
Fort said: “I’ve admired butchers all my life. There’s something about the skill, watching butchers break up a carcass with their calm assurance - it’s like watching a magician at work. It’s like the finest theatre - the knife coming down, even sharpening the knife, the noise, and the crunch when the cleaver comes down with such precision. To someone like me, this is absolute magic.
“I’ve spent many hours watching butchers going about their business and every time there’s something to be learnt. I’ve never had a serious conversation with a butcher where I haven’t learned something.
“I think the future can be extremely positive for Q Guild butchers; the emphasis on quality, precision and wisdom – you can’t put too high a price on that.”
Winners
Allan Bennett, of Codsall, scooped two diamond awards; one for his Pork & Black Pudding Sausage, which was named Best Sausage, and one for his Festive Pie, which won the title of Best Cold Eating Pie.
Frank Parker Butchers, of Nuneaton, won a diamond award for its Homecured Smoked Black Treacle Bacon, which was also crowned the Best English Bacon product and Best Bacon and Cured Product.
Andrews Quality Butchers, of Hadleigh, Suffolk, won a diamond award for its Steak, Mushroom & Adnams Ale Pie, which was Best Hot Eating Pie.
Edwards of Conwy also picked up a diamond award and the Best Ready Meal title for its Moroccan Style Chicken & Chick Pea Stew, while Owen Taylor & Sons of Alfreton, Derbyshire, won the prestigious Best Burger title, along with a diamond award, for its Moroccan Lamb 6oz Burger.
Jon Thorner’s, of Pylle, Somerset, produced the Best Ready to Eat Meal, Packington Honey Clove Ham, which was also diamond-rated.
Pearson Butchers, from Ashton-under-Lyne, won BPEX’s Best English Beef award for its Beetroot & Horseradish Sausage.
James of Shepperton, in Middlesex, won EBLEX’s Best English Lamb title for its Minted Lamb Pie, while Bennetts Quality Meats, in Bury, won Quality Meat Scotland’s Best Scotch Beef accolade for its Gourmet Steak Burger with Garlic.
Patricks of Camelon, in Falkirk, scooped the Best Scottish Lamb prize for its Savoury Meatballs, while Ellisons Butchers, of Cullingworth, Bradford, won Best Pork Sausage.
A total of 479 products from 54 Q Guild butchers nationwide, virtually half of the national membership, were entered for the eight categories in this year’s Awards.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
